This Paradise
by PerfectDreamer
Summary: Akane and Shampoo argue again, it seems it may lead to another fight. Shampoo takes Ranma away from her, but they don t know where they end up being. Ranma realizes things he had never noticed. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

* * *

**Disclaimer; Ranma ½ is owned by Rumiko Takashi.**

" " -talking  
' ' -thoughts  
**Bold** - emphasis

* * *

The Cat Café had some minor customers, so there really was not much work to worry about. Cologne was cooking the last set of plates for two hungry customers, they were the only ones who hadn't ate since every other customer already were eating or just finished eating.

"Shampoo take this to table number four." Cologne said handing a tray with two plates to her great-granddaughter.

"Yes great-grandmother." Shampoo said obediently doing what Cologne said.

"Here you go!" Said Shampoo cheerfully to the two clients.

"Thanks miss." Said one of them.

"Yeah I was hungry, thanks." Said the other. "Mmmm this is delicious, that's why I never get tired of coming here."

"Thank you. Here at the Cat Café we try best to please customers. Enjoy!" Said Shampoo with a smile in her face.

"We are enjoying it already." Said the customer.

* * *

"Why do you have to be such a jerk!" A girl said with anger in her tone of voice.

"Me? It wasn't my fault! That old man did it!" Another teenage girl responded, with a hint of annoyment in her voice.

* * *

"Hmm, think I know that voice..." Shampoo said to herself in a low tone of voice. She was still besides the table were the two customers are eating.

* * *

"Yeah right! You think I'm believing you that!" The first girl said again. "I don't think so! Just admit it, you went into my room!"

"What the hell are ya talkin' about! I went to get that old pervert! He wanted me to put on the panties he stole!" The second girl said again getting more annoyed. "Also why would I want to go to your room anyways?"

"You baka! What is wrong with my room! "

"What?"

"What's wrong with my room?! Why do you ay as if you don't want to get there!" The first girl said with more anger in her tone of voice.

"Wait, but ya just said you were angry at me for goin' into your room; and now you ask me why I don't wanna go?" The second girl asked confused and at the same time annoyed. "I really can't understand ya..."

"Oh so you **did** went to my room! See you just said it!"

"No, it was the old pervert's fault! He made me go there, I just wanted to stop him!"

"Don't try to blame others Ranma! Why did you entered my room right when I was going to dress up!?" The girl said.

* * *

'I knew it!' Shampoo thought with delight.

"Great grandmother I'm going out!" Shampoo said looking through the window towards were her fiancee was. She noticed he was in his girl form.

"Ok, I'll take care of business." Cologne said while ordering Mousee to clean the dishes.

Shampoo went to get a bucket with hot water. Then Shampoo went out of the Cat Café cheerfully to greet her fiancee.

"I told you already that it was not my fault! The old bastard went to your room, I followed him to stop him and beat him up!" Ranma-chan said annoyed by her companion.

"So you and Hapossai went huh? Well now that explains it..."

"Finally you get it." Ranma said tired of arguing, thinking Akane finally understood what she was trying to say.

"...you are his apprentice aren't you?" Akane asked while raising an eyebrow.

Ranma fell on her back for what Akane said but recovered soon.

"What the heck are ya talkin' about?" Ranma-chan asked in a high tone.

"What other perverted tricks has he thought you?!" Akane asked not listening to much of what Ranma said.

"That's not what I said. Don't ya ever listen to me?" Ranma-chan asked in a high tone of voice to make Akane hear her better.

"So you two teamed up didn't you?! Yo-you pervert pigs! I can only get disgusted at the thought of both of you stealing panties in the middle of the night!" Akane continued with her theory, disgusted and angry for what she thought Ranma did.

"I think the answer is no..ya never listen." Ranma said not bothering to say it aloud.

"I can't believe you use your martial arts powers to make something evil and steal women panties, well actually I can believe after all the perverted things that I've seen you do." Akane said briefly remembering some moments and shuddering at two in special. "But still using your abilities for that is sick."

"Akane really it wasn't my fault to go inside you room, and I'm not Hapossai's apprentice, I don't steal panties with him, and I don't ever remember doin' anythin' perverted that I actually wanted to do." Ranma-chan said not knowing what Akane was talking about when she said he did perverted things on his own.

Shampoo saw that Ranma was not alone, but with Akane in front of him. They seemed to be arguing and Akane seemed to be the one talking the most.

'That Akane, why doesn't she just goes away and leaves Ranma alone. I'm going to have to teach her a lesson.' Shampoo thought while making her way to where her beloved and her rival were.

"Yeah of course you don't remember. It's not of your convenience to remember." Akane said while noticing Shampoo was coming to were they were.

'Agh I didn't noticed we were close to the cat cafe. Besides dealing with this pervert now I have to deal with two perverts that have body transforming curses.' Akane thought, annoyed by the Amazon and by the pervert fiance she had.

"It just can't get worse, now she has to come too." Akane said looking at Shampoo bitterly. Shampoo also looked at her rival that way.

"Who are ya talkin' about?" Ranma asked when she was poured warm water over her head, turning her instantly into her real form. Already a boy he turned around knowing who it was already.

"Nihao Ranma!" Shampoo said while leaving the bucket to the side, then she glomped Ranma like she always did.

"Hi Shampoo. Um will ya get offa me?" Ranma asked, knowing Akane wouldn't stay quiet about that display of affection. He tried to get her of him lightly since he didn't wanted to hurt her, but that didn't work since she hugged him tighter and as close as possible. That caused them to fall to the ground, with Ranma being the one affected by the light impact, Shampoo still didn't let go of him.

"Oh so besides getting inside my room trying to see me undressed, teaming up with Hapossai to steal panties, even be his apprentice to learn new ways of stealing, and now letting any bimbo hug you right in front of everyone!" Akane said her temper raised to the maximum level, her eyes twitched and her fingers did too as if preparing her strength.

"And you still dare to say that you are not a pervert!" Akane shouted.

"Akane I didn't do anything of that! You invented that all!" Ranma said still laying on the ground with Shampoo on top of him.

"Oh yeah I did. And I also invented that you use your girl side to your convenience didn't I?" Akane asked sarcastically.

"Well but it's not for anythin' like that, I just do it for food, to get it free." Ranma said now getting up. Shampoo let go of him and turned to look at Akane, she didn't liked a thing Akane was saying.

"Uh-huh whatever Ranma. What about the time you used magic to attract Ryoga, you even flirted with him! You stayed with him all night! Now don't tell me you didn't do that!" Akane said remembering those memories, she was really disturbed by that.

"What?! It's not like that! He used some magic trick on me! It was his fault not mine!" Ranma said not wanting to remeber what happened, he really wanted to throw up just about that thought.

"Yeah right! Come on Ranma remember you were all over him! You were almost always in your girl form and you were trying to get his attention! Now don't tell me that is not perverted!" Akane said.

Shampoo couldn't believe what Akane said. Ranma getting in love with Ryoga? That was nonsense, Ranma was a male, he was pruod of that and he was not gay. At least that's what she thought.

'This Akane must be making up things to make Ranma angry. I mean Ranma wouldn't really fall for a guy he wasn't that way. He liked girls, he always showed that. Him liking guys wasn't normal, he should like girls, he had to. But did he?..No I will not doubt in my airen he does like girls, he is not gay! Danm this Akane is making me think bad of Ranma too.' Shampoo thought.

"No Akane you have it all wrong! I-I didn't fell for him! I just..it was all just this magic trick he put on me! I told ya already!" Ranma said.  
He didn't wanted to tell Akane that Ryoga actually had a magic fishing rod to make her fall for him, but he was making things worse if he made Akane believe Ryoga was that way. So he didn't knew what to do.

"Maigc huh? When did Ryoga learned magic?! Don't try to fool me Ranma!" Akane said getting ready to hit him.  
"Or wait maybe you mean a metaphor...this magic you talk about is your love for him isn't it?!" Akane said now assuming the worst her rage was almost to the top.

"What?! No,no, no, no! I mean a real fishing rod! A magical trick to make anyone who you catch in it to fall in love!" Ranma said thinking he would have to say the truth. Before he could speak Akane interrupted him.

"So you mean Ryoga used that to catch you and make you fall for him?!" Akane said disbelieving how dishonest Ranma could be to get rid of the blame.  
"So you want me to think poor Ryoga was the one who caused it? Why would he want you?! He is not gay, and he has no interest in you nor your girl side! What are you taking him for? Kuno."

"No he didn't wanted to catch me! He wanted-..." Ranma still couldn't tell Akane who Ryoga wanted to catch. He didn't wanted to betray him but he had no choice.

'Besides what has that dude done for me? If she finds out of his love for her that's not my fault.' Ranma thougth.

"So? Who did he wanted?" Akane asked impatiently.

'Ryoga is gay? I was sure he loved Akane. Who could've guessed.' Shampoo thought.

"You." Ranma said.

"Me?..." Akane asked. "Yeah right how could Ryoga want me? We are friends, that's all."

"No really he wanted you to fell for him."

'I knew it! He did love Akane. Maybe she will stop bothering Ranma now and go with him.' Shampoo thought.

Akane was quiet for a time, then her anger rose and she said. "You liar! He wouldn't use cheap tricks like this bimbo here does! He isn't like that!" Akane said.

"Hey who you say is bimbo!" Shampoo said.

"Who else? Do you see other bimbo here?" Akane asked bitterly.

"Oh you will pay for insulting Amazon!" Shampoo said getting her bonbori out of nowhere but before she could attack Akane Ranma had stopped her.

"Wait Shampoo, don't do it." Ranma said holding her from behind.

"Let go I have to teach Akane a lesson!" Shampoo said struggling to get rid of Ranma's hold and attack her rival.

"Come here bimbo! If you want a fight I'm won't deny it!" Akane said overconfidence in her voice.

Shampoo just stared at Akane with anger in her eyes. She tried once again to liberate herself from Ranma but it was all in vain, his strength was superior. He held her hard though not enough to hurt her either.

Akane saw that her enemy couldn´t do anything so she started mocking the Amazon again much more than she ever did, she just couldn´t let go of such an opportunity, much less when she thought about all the times the Amazon had insulted her skills; now it was payback time for Akane to make justice, at least that's how she thought.

"Shampoo calm down. Don't let her insult you, just ignore her." Ranma said still holding the Amazon's arms and body, preventing her from doing any attack.

Shampoo couldn't take what Akane was saying, she was very angry at her this time. Of all the things she said the worse thing was telling her 'weak'. Shampoo knew she wasn't weak at all, she knew that Akane was actually the weak one, but she couldn't show it to her rival since Ranma wasn't going to let her attack Akane.

"Akane stop it. You know Shampoo can take you down easily." Ranma said.

"What? She can? Well then I want to see that, come on bring it own you weak bimbo!" Akane said taunting Shampoo.

"Shampoo show you right now! No weakling can say I weak!" Shampoo said with burning anger flaring in her eyes.

"No, wait Shampoo! Calm down!" Ranma said having a hard time stopping Shampoo from attacking Akane. "And Akane stop saying that!"

Akane ignored completely what Ranma said. She was having a payback after all the times the Amazon had insulted her. After all the times Ranma compared her to the other girls, and

"Hey I'm here you know. I'm waiting for you." Akane said. "Or are you afraid?"

Shampoo had it, she wouldn't take it any longer. She couldn't get rid of Ranma's hold so she thought about another way to take revenge on her rival. Instead she calmed herself down.

"Ok, Ranma." Shampoo said steadily looking at Akane.

"Huh? You will?" Ranma asked still holding the Amazon just to make sure.

"Yes." Shampoo responded.

"Really? Ya won't attack?" Ranma asked loosening his hold slightly.

"Yes, I not attack Akane. So will Ranma let me go?" Shampoo asked her fianc.

"Umm well I guess, if ya won't attack." Ranma said fully letting go of Shampoo. Akane just stared at her rival, she didn't believed any of the words that came out from the Amazon's mouth.

'She is planning something.' Akane thought looking at Shampoo suspiciously.

As fast as Ranma freed Shampoo, she turned around completely to face him and then without previous advice she glomped him. Ranma looked bewildered while Shampoo looked with sweetness into his blue eyes, she approached his lips with hers slowly.

As soon as Akane saw what Shampoo was doing she threw her mallet brutaly to Ranma's head, this caused Ranma to fall unconciously but Shampoo caught him before he hit the concrete.

"What you think you doing pervert-girl?" Shampoo asked obviously mad at what her rival had just done, though she already had seen that coming from her. She did it exactly for that, to take a revenge on Akane for what she said earlier.

"Me pervert?! You are the perverted one!" Akane said with her anger raising.

"Whatever." Shampoo said getting hold of Ranma with her two arms, to her surprise he wasn't as heavy as she thought he would be. "See you later!" Shampoo said leaping to the Cat Cafe's roof taking Ranma with her.

"Where'd you think you are going?!" Akane shouted.

"To place where you can't disturb Ranma and me!" Shampoo said in a ihgh tone of voice to make sure her rival heard her. With that said she took off with Ranma.

"That bimbo!" Akane shouted. She didn't waste any time in following the Amazon, she ran as fast as she could in the ground to keep up with her rival, still there were way more obstacles in the ground than the way Shampoo was taking.

Ranma was waking up, he started opening his eyes just to see that everything around him was moving, it almost seemed like he was flying. He shaked his head and opened widly his eyes to look where he was at, he thought it may be a dream. He looked up and saw that Shampoo was carrying him and hoping from roof to roof, Ranma felt a blush in his cheeks, he wasn't used to that.

Ranma asked the first question that came to his mind forgetting about his shyness and his slight blush.

"Shampoo? What are you doing?"

Shampoo was surprised by the voice speaking, she thought he might have been unconsious for a longer time after the impact he received without warning, but she remembered how Ranma was always getting hit on the head bu his fanc and many others so, it shouldn't surprise her that he would recover fast.

"Ranma you awake too quick." Shampoo said not stopping her roof hoping. "I taking you somewhere we won't be disturbed

"Yeah, yeah I am already used to that. But why are ya carrying me?" Ranma said not liking one bit that his fianc was carrying him. "I can walk by myself ya know. Now let me go." Ranma said.

"Ok Ranma, but wait until stop." Shampoo answered looking back at where Akane was, she was still following them and Shampoo wasn't far enough to loose her,. Shampoo took another direction and went to the left instead, that way it would be harder for Akane to follow it would take her more time.

Ranma looked at Shampoo, then he looked to where she was looking though he couldn't see anything since his view from where he was wasn't a good one.

"Shampoo what are we running away from?" Ranma asked suspicious about Shampoo's intentions. "By the way where is Akane? And how did I ended up in your arms?" Ranma asked not liking what was happening..

"No one, just from the annoyance ." Shampoo said slowing down now that Akane wasn't anywhere in sight. She looked down at Ranma. "Akane isn't here, she got angry and tried hurting us, that why I take you to peaceful place. You were unconcious so I had take you." Shampoo said smiling she finally stop and let Ranma go.

Ranma had still a slight blush in his cheeks, he tried to hide it away from the Amazon in front of him.

"So where are we?" He asked not sure how to feel about the situation.

"We still not there." Shampoo said. "I just stopped so Ranma could walk by himself.."

"So...where are we goin'?" Ranma asked looking at Shampoo closely, he didn't wanted to be into another of her schemes.

"I say already, a peaceful place." Shampoo answered walking over to Ranma she spoke again. "Follow me."

"Okay." Ranma said unsure of what she had in mind.

Shampoo turned her back to Ranma and started roof hoping away to the right.

'Hope this isn't another of her plans.' He thought following the Amazon close by.

After a few minutes of roof hoping Shampoo finally jumped below to the floor and waited for Ranma. He came seconds after. While at their journey they hadn't talked at all, but Ranma broke the silence now.

"Ok Shampoo what's up? Are we there yet?" He asked with his guard up. It's not that he didn't trusted at all the Amazon, but he remembered a lot of things that happened when he had his guard down, and not only with her.

"Almost." She said looking at Ranma. Then she started running to the north.

Without thinking it Ranma followed her, he was curious to where they were going.

Few moments later Shampoo stopped, Ranma stopped too right beside the Amazon.

"Here we are." Shampoo said looking towards the front, her look seemed to be one of admiration.

Ranma looked at her wondering what was she looking at. To see where she had took him he looked to his surroundings. Now he knew why Shampoo had that look in her eyes. The landscape around them was beautiful, only compared to the ones people dreamed of, it was definately a place to be portrayed in an art painting.

Still looking with amaze at the environment Ranma asked.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know. I saw place a while ago in dreams, I not know it was real." Shampoo said still looking with admiration at the environment.

"Wow." That's all Ranma could say. He wasn't the typr of person that would stop and admire it's surroundings, he wasn't that sentimental, he didn't needed too after all he was supposed to be a man among men and doing that would not be considered manly.

But this time it was different., he just couldn't avoid it, it was like he couldn't control his eyes and he enjoyed the feeling the paradise like landscape provoked in him.

Ranma was consumed by it he didn't had anything in his mind besides the admiration to where they were; he even forgot about his situation. He interrupted his thoughts, he shouldn't be acting like that and much less in front of another martial-artist.

"Shampoo how did you knew this place was here?" He asked trying to ignore the beauty around.

"I not know. I follow instincts, Shampoo just felt guided here." She said.

"Oh, well but why are we here?" Ranma asked confused about the answer the Chinese girl gave him.

Shampoo finally stopped looking at her surroundings and looked at Ranma.

"I just wanted to be alone with airen." She said.

"Ok, so umm...what are we doin' now?" Ranma asked, he still his guard up even though now it seemed that Shampoo wouldn't do anything bad to him, he couldn't risk himself.

"Let's go see more." Shampoo simply said walking deeper into her dream place. Ranma walked right beside her following her lead.

Shampoo and Ranma found themselves admiring the place even more.

The one inch tall grass was green with small sparkling diamonds on, they even danced with the cool breeze. The tall trees had strong brown trunks, the leaves were of emerald they even seemed to shine with the slight light that fell upon them. The cool breeze that danced with the leaves and grass, also seemed to be humming with gracefulness.

Ranma and Shampoo were more amazed by this but they didn't stopped their way and continued walking on.

In their way they found a waterfall far in front of them, sapphires seemed to be falling from it instead of water. The sapphires that felt to the powerful lake emits two sounds, one of tranquility that you could feel inside and another one of power that you could feel flowing through your veins. To say the least one would describe this waterfall as majestic.

Ranma felt a lot of preocupation dissappearing, his worries and even his problems seemed to be dissappearing. Now he felt much better, he somehow felt lighter, being able to breathe better to use all his senses better, also he felt a peace inside of him that he had ever experienced. It seemed that all the negative feelings and thoughts disolved.

Ranma shook his head to shake off his amazeness and emotions, he thought that that wasn't manly at all, not what everyone would expect of him. He couldn't let that kind of feelings take over him, he wouldn't.

He took a look at his companion beside him, she seemed to be stunned by the beauty in front of them. He was surprised Shampoo was like that, openly amazed by everything they have seen lately.

Unlike him she could freely express what she felt like, she didn't seemed to feel ashamed one bit about it either, even being the serious martial-artist she was. It was obvious she enjoyed the view. On the contrary Ranma couldn't admit that he was too, not even to himself, but he knew deep inside he indeed was amazed, astonished

He felt the need to break the silence there was, he didn't wanted to think about it again, if he did he would be hypnotized about the paradise-like land they were in again

Before he could speak Shampoo spoke.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She asked not looking at Ranma.

"Yes, it is..." He trailed off his thoughts being consumed by the gorgeous setting, but again resumed talking not wanting to lost himself again. "..but it's just a place that's all. I mean I don't see anything special about it, it's just kinda pretty but not a big deal." He answered as honest as he could fake. He didn't wanted to express what he really felt nor what he thought, he kept his true thoughts to himself. He couldn´t make any of his emotions show that would make him appear weak.

Shampoo turned to look at Ranma.

"Wish I could control emotions like Ranma do. If great-grandmother ever knew about Shampoo feeling like this showing such weakness, as she call it, she be ashamed. She would say I Amazon warrior no should show this kind of feelings toward anything, she say it make Shampoo appear inferior." She said facing down, remembering exactly what Cologne had told her before.

"Great-grandmother taught Shampoo to be best warrior, also taught me to no show weakness to anyone." She said this while looking up to Ranma, with a sad tone of voice she continued. "So I no should be like this in front of you, no even when I alone. Please Ranma don't tell great-grandmother about this, she would punish Shampoo again"

Ranma stared at his fianc surprised for what she just said. He never thought Shampoo would act like that, he never knew she felt like that or what she thought. He really didn't knew much about her now that he thought about it.

'In a way she is in the same situation as I am. She doesn't want to show her emotions in front of the people that expect something different from her. We both have high expectations from some parental figure, we both have to be great martial-artists, we both are commited to pride bound to honor in different ways.' Ranma thought.

He had never really felt as philosophic as he felt now, thinking more throughly about the situation they were both in. He never really paid attention to things like that, he never noticed. He thought thinking about that sort of things was a waste of time and of no use.

Although now it was different maybe he felt like this because of the calmness he felt at the time, with no one challenging him or threatenig him, or maybe it was the mistical power the place they were at the time had. Who knows, that only thing he knew was that he was thinking clearly and deeply, analyzing things with no one bothering him.

"Shampoo, I never knew ya felt like that. I thought you would do exactly what the old-ghoul says." Ranma said still not saying what he really had in his mind.

"Ranma I no obey everything great-grandmother say. I showed that before, remember when I helped you fight against great-grandmother and also when I gave kiss of death to own sisters for you. It's not first time I go against what I suppose to do." Shampoo said recalling the memories.

Ranma stared at Shampoo speechless. It was true she had been rebeling against her own culture for him. Not only those two times, he could remember others too.

* * *

'Ranma, where are you?' Akane thought worried about him though she wouldn't admit it to herself. She was walking and asking people to know if anyone had seen him, but no one could help, she didn't wanted stop her search even when it was getting late the sun was setting.

'Maybe he'll be at home. Yeah maybe he ran away from that crazy bimbo and went for dinner. Yeah I'll look for him over there, besides I'm getting hungry.' She thought while walking her way home.

'I do really hope that jerk is there.' Akane thought.

* * *

**Please review everyone! =)  
Also check out my homepage! I hope you liked it.**

**Also I don't even know what the second chapter will be about, I just know some part of it so I hope you can give me advices and your opinions on what you want to see, read. Help me out in this one ;)**


	2. How beautiful!

**This Paradise**

**Disclaimer; I don't own ****Ranma 1/2 it is owned by Rumiko Takashi. I don't plan on making any profit from this I just do it fot fun.**

**' ' -thoughts  
" "-speaking  
**_**Italic**-_**Flashbacks**

**Thanks for the reviews you gave! Thank you all really =)  
****And a reviewer asked if this was a Ranma/Shampoo fanfic, and you know what, yes it is. **

* * *

Akane went walking rapidly to her home, the Tendo residence. She was desperate to know if Ranma was there as she had assumed earlier, her hunger was also another of the reasons she wanted to be home at the time.

The cold of the night was very noticeable now that the sun had completely dissapeared. Akane was feeling it too, this made her walking slow down since the cool breeze was making her unprotected face numb and her legs were tired of running the long distances she had earlier, her legs were exausted to walk any longer but she knew she had to so she could get home as fast as she could.

To motivate her journey, she kept in mind the warm dinner Kasumi had ready for her, and the warm cozy feeling of being inside her house protected from the cold climate.

Soon she arrived, she went directly to the dinner table, Kasumi was already there.

"Oh, hi sister, I was just going to serve dinner. I was getting worried you wouldn't be early to eat." Kasumi said wearing her brigth cheerful smile.

"I wouldn't miss dinner Kasumi, I'm too hungry right now. " Akane said sitting down at her spot, she took a look at what Kasumi had made for dinner, and it simply looked delicious as everything that her sister cooks.

As soon as her sister placed the plate in front of her she started eating. She didn't know why, but she had a big apettite this time.

Soun and Genma came to the dining room a while after Akane. Genma sat down at his usual spot. Soun looked at his daughter then looked around, after sitting down he asked his daughter.

"Akane where is Ranma?"

Akane stopped eating abruptly, and looked around the room noticing there wasn't any sight of him.

"I don't know, I thought he was here. Hasn't he come home?"

"No he hasn't, we thought he was with you." Soun said.

Akane stayed silent, he hasn't came back from wherever Shampoo took him. She shouldn't had left him with the Amazon.

'What if she placed a spell on him? A curse? What if that Amazon did something to make him be against me? Or what if she made a love potion and he drank it? He was stupid enough to drink anything she gives him.' Akane thought remembering other times he had been tricked by the Amazon she disliked.

Kasumi looked at her sister, she could see the worried and somehow angry look in her face; then she looked at everyone else at the room, she noticed her other sister wasn't there either.

"Akane maybe Ranma is with Nabiki, she hasn't come home neither." Kasumi said trying to make Akane feel less worried.

"Yes Akane maybe Ranma and Nabiki are together and they are both making their way here right now." Soun said, he took a look at Genma who didn't seem worried for his son at all, he was eating as he normally did, insanely fast and with no manners.

"Isn't that right Genma?" Soun asked trying to get the father of the missing boy get into the conversation.

Genma was too occupied eating he didn't paid any attention to the question.

"I said; isn't that right Genma?" Soun asked his friend louder to make sure he could hear him.

"Wha?" Genma asked with his mouth full of food, not knowing what was the conversation about, and unnoticing the situation.

"That Ranma may be with Nabiki at this time." Soun said.

Genma was still eating not showing much care about the situation, between bites he spoke.

"I thought he was with Akane."

Soun couldn't believe his friend hadn't paid any attention to what they were talking about. He was getting annoyed by the carelesness he showed and by the manner he ate ruthlessly and wildly, like an animal.

"Don't you pay attention to anything that's going on!?" Soun shouted loosing his compusture. Kasumi stared at her father and then at Genma, she hadn't seen her father act like that toward his lifetime friend.

Akane was still deep in her thoughts and theories, she didn't paid attention to anything that was going on between her father and Genma.

' Or maybe she did that trick she did with me, using that shampoo maybe she erased his memories of me, of all the family...what if she puts him against us?...No! I have to find him. I can't let that happen.'

Akane got up from her seat Kasumi saw her and before Akane could go anywhere she asked.

"Where are you going sister?"

"I'm gonna go out to look for Ranma." Akane simply said.

"Akane I think you should wait, it is dark and cold outside and it could be dangerous for you to go alone." Kasumi said with concern in her voice.

"I'll get a jacket that way I won't be cold, I'll get a flashlight too, and no one can do any harm to me I'm also a martial-artist remember." She said determined to go out and start her seacrh for Ranma.

"Yes Akane I know you can take care of yourself, but still I think it might be the best if you went to look for him tomorrow. Besides he is a great martial-artist and he can take care of himself, I don't think he would be in trouble after all; you know I'll also help you look for him after breakfast." Kasumi said, she was worried about Ranma but she was more worried to what could happen to her sister. She knew exactly how Akane was and how impulsively she could act when she got angry.

She offered her help kindly so that her sister would feel better and less uneasy about the situation.

Akane did seem a little relieved, she knew that if her sister came with her to search for Ranma they would have more chances for finding him. Besides she was right, she shouldn't go at that time of the night, there wouldn't be people outside to give her any clues of anyone watching him.

"Ok Kasumi, I'll wait till tomorrow after breakfast." Akane said feeling less worried than before.

"Yes tomorrow sister, I will wake up earlier and make breakfast earlier for you and me. That way we can have more time to look for him, and I'm sure we will sister." Kasumi said wearing again her warm smile to reasure her sister that everything will be alright.

So it was decided they would go search for him tomorrow at the early morning.

Akane sat down again at her spot and tried to resume eating what she had left, but she just didn't felt hungry anymore, she lost her apettite besides the fact that the food was cold now didn't help at all.

* * *

Meanwhile Genma and Soun were still arguing, though it seemed that it was the end of it already. Soun was starting to calm down and Genma too, he never really liked arguing with Soun it was very strange when they did but since the failed wedding they have been in more arguments than ever before.

The tension between them was increasing and Genma knew that. It now seems that his friend doesn't want them to live there as much as he did before, afterall their children were supposed to be married by now and the schools should have been united too.

* * *

Moments later Akane was in her bedroom, she gathered her pj's and went to the restroom where she planned to take a hot bubble bath and try to relax a little. No one was using it so she got inside directly and turned the hot water on, she let the hot water pour out for moments to fill the bath tub, soon the steam caused by the hot intensity of the water filled the small room causing Akane's muscles to release tension.

She fully undressed and stepped into the bath tub, she turned off the water and laid back inside the bath tub fully realeasing her body and trying to relax. In her mind there were a lot of thoughs going on, the most complicating one she had was the idea of Shampoo doing something bad to Ranma, she just couldn't stop thinking about it.

Akane felt preassured to go outside at that moment and find Ranma and that Amazon she disliked, but she knew that she couldn't and that she was told tomorrow the search would start. With all this in her mind she couldn't really relax, she could not chill and take it easy even when she knew that worrying wouldn't help her at all but instead make it worse.

Akane tried to think about something else, or much better stop thinking about anything at all. She suddenly wished she had the radio Nabiki had in her room, which was hers but Nabiki borrowed; at least if she had it she could listen to music and stay calm, leaving her mind at ease.

Again without even noticing her thoughts went back to Ranma, she had a feeling she just couldn't place, she felt guilty even if she didn't admited it to herself. For a moment deep inside she thought it was all her fault and that when she found Ranma tomorrow she would apologize, but as soon as she thought that she contradicted saying out loud that it was the Amazon's and the pervert's fault.

Saying that she had nothing to do with the incident and that she would never apologize, saying that the ones that should apologize were Ranma and Shampoo and they are ones to pay the consequences too, mostly Ranma. After saying that out loud she actually believed herself and started to feel better, still her guilt didn't go away.

Nabiki was walking her way to the Tendo residence, she had a lot of bills in her hands from the job or most likely blackmailing she had done earlier, she also had a noticeable smirk in her face after all gaining money was her best pleasure.

"Stupid boys, they have no idea who they dealed with." Nabiki said to herself.

Few moments later she arrived to her destination, Kasumi greeted her and told her the dinner was inside the microwave, Nabiki said she wasn't hungry since she ate earlier after saying that to her older sister she went passively upstairs and into her bedroom.

She closed the door, went to get a magazine from the drawer beside her bed and laid fully on her bed.

She opened the pages looking for an article in special, seconds later she found it and started reading she changed the postion she was in and sat on the side of her bed, with a pen she circled the article she read in the magazine and put it away back into the drawer.

She again had a smirk in her face, Nabiki got the bills she had gained earlier and started counting them making sure that the amount was correct.

'Hmm, I still need more money if I want to do what I have to do.' Nabiki thought. 'If that magazine is correct, which I'm sure it is, I'll win more than double of what I'll invest.' Nabiki was practically thinking ahead of all the money she would get by her investment.

'All I have to do is reunite enough money to buy it, call the number and I'll get it. Also another vital factor for this to work out would be to have Ranma at a close distance, without him this just wouldn't be worthy.' Nabiki thought.

She got up from her bed and got out of her bedroom, she walked towards the restroom while keeping in mind her future business and the ideas she had of making it more effective.

Akane had finished her bubble bath though she didn't enjoyed it as she had planned, with all the thoughs going on in her mind she couldn't relax much. She dried herself with a towel, dressed out in her pj's, she put on her slippers and got out of the restroom.

Before she could move a step foward she saw that Nabiki was in her way.

"Oh sis' you aren't using the bath anymore are you?" Nabiki asked.

Akane looked at her older sister not expecting to see her but she reacted in a few seconds and answered the question she was asked.

"No I'm not using it anymore..."

"Fine, then would you let me in." Nabiki said in a questioning way, she couldn't enter since Akane blocked the entrance.

"Oh sure.."Akane said while going out of the door's way. "Nabiki, haven't you seen Ranma?" She asked before Nabiki could close the restroom's door.

Nabiki looked at Akane in an inquisitive way and answered her sister's question with one of her own.

"Wasn't he with you?"

"So you haven't seen him." Akane simply said dissapointed. "Do you have any idea were he might be?" She asked.

"Nope, not at all." Nabiki said, looking at her sister she continued. "Maybe he made you angry and you hit him too hard he went flying to another city, or landed somewhere inside the forest, who knows. Or maybe he landed in cold water and a perverted guy found her and made her his slave by force and made her suck his-"

"Nabiki!" Akane interruted Nabiki's theory before she could get too far. "You aren't making it better!"

"But dear sis' you didn't asked me to make anything better, you asked me to tell you information about his current location or my opinion on where he would be, so I just told you what I honestly think." Nabiki said as if Akane made her say what she said.

Akane looked at Nabiki, she opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out after she thought better about, she closed it and stayed quiet. She bent her head down and looked down at the floor thinking.

"Do you think something bad might have happened to him?" Akane asked, then she added. "I mean seriously do you really think there could be something wrong?" She asked looking up at Nabiki.

Nabiki stared at her sister, she knew she was worried. Nabiki felt something inside of her that made her warm up and take things more seriously, she looked at her sister to the eyes and said.

"No Akane, I think he is just fine. I mean he is a powerful martial artist and he knows the consecuences of hanging out with Shampoo, and the record of the magic potions she has used. I think he will be alright and you are going to find him tomorrow."

Akane felt better by the words her older sister gave, she remembered the time when Nabiki was like this most of the time, which were weird after the death of their mother.

Now she rarely showed that kindeness and that warm feeling making you know you can trust her, unlike the cold personality she normally had and how she could hardly be trusted.

"Nabiki...thanks, sister." Akane said.

"Yeah, don't worry. Better go to sleep now and forget about that for now, just sleep in peace and tomorrow you can put your mind in finding Ranma, ok sis'." Nabiki said.

Akane just nodded and put a small smile in her face, after saying goodnight to her sister she headed to her bedroom.

Nabiki looked at Akane until she was out of eyesight, she sighed, entered the bathroom and closed the door slowly .

"I hope I'm right and they find Ranma tomorrow. My sis' is very concerned for him." She said to herself in a low tone of voice. "Besides If they don't find him how can my plan work out." She finally said.

* * *

Genma was outside in the backyard her was smoking, it's not very often he had a cigarrette but this time he felt he needed one.

'Ranma you better come back tomorrow, if not I'm gonna have to search for myself and that will bring you into more problems than what you're already in.' Genma thought with the white cigarrette in his mouth.

'Soun is getting more impatient, he wants to join the families already and I can't blame him. This is all my stupid son's fault and and his stubornness, and now he runs away?!'

'That's all we needed a coward who runs away from his mistakes and doesn't face the consecuences. A man who is not reliable and doesn't make honor of his word, a man whose promise is not worth more than a yen." Genma said not happy at his son's behavior and the way he was, he exhaled the smoke of the cigarrette.

"Ranma, son if you don't come back and do what you have to do, you are really going to pay, and I will have to pay for your mistakes too since Soun won't like us to live with them anymore and we couldn't stay with your mom..." Genma said practically to himself since no one was around him, well that's what Genma thought until a small figure came out from the darkness of the night.

He went unnoticed and surprised Genma from behind.

"So you lost your sonny huh?" The small figure said.

Genma turned around knowing exactly who that voice belonged to. After facing him, or at least at his direction he lowered his face to see the small man at the face.

"Master! What are you doing here?" Genma asked, he was still amazed at how he could not feel the old man behind him, that old man was very sneaky when he wanted to.

"Been here a time now." He answered simply he was smoking with his pipe calmly.

"So did you heard what I said?" Genma asked knowing his master didn't let that kind of information pass by.

"Yup, and by the way the man you described a moment ago is not worthy to be called a man." Happosai said with his old saggy eyes closed remaining in absolute calm.

"Yes that's true he can't be called a man, and much less when half of the time he is a girl." Genma said.

Hapossai exhaled the smoke he opened his big eyes and spoke.

"I wasn't talking about Ranma, I was talking about you. You described yourself perfectly without you even knowing." The old man said, he looked at Genma at the eyes and spoke again. "I actually thought you were talking about yourself, I thought you were finally admiting your mistakes."

"What are you talkin' about old man, I'm nothing like my son not at all!" Genma said not liking what Hapossai was telling him, he knew exactly what kind of man he was and for sure he knew he wasn't the type of man he described earlier.

"I knew you wouldn't really admit it, well what can I expect of you after all." Happosai said walking towards the Tendo house.

"And who are you to tell me this after all. You sure are worst of a man than I supposedly am." Genma said with an angry tone in his voice. "You have done far worser things that I have, and you escape of your problems too."

Happosai stopped his walk and stayed quiet. He lowered his head, exhaled smoke from his mouth and spoke again.

"Yes that's true, you are right Genma. Afterall I have lived far more than you and as s human I've comitted many mistakes through life." Happosai then turned his head to look at his old apprentice, he was surprised that Genma actually answered like that to him with no backing down, usually after an insult he would back down and apologize to not get seriously harmed by him. Genma would be a hypocrite and act nice to him but thinking about beating him up as bad as he could.

"Yes and besides you steal women undergarments, and you run away from authority and angry women, and you made a little kid help you steal panties." Genma said remembering the time Happosai said he used Hinako as a little girl and attack the nurses who tried to stop him from stealing.

"Yes I have." Happosai said getting angry at what Genma was saying, but still accepting it.

After Genma saw that his old master wasn't doing anything to defend himself or attacking him he continued with all the bad things the anything-goes master had done. He enjoyed that, saying all the faults his master had in front of his face, saying that he was the worst man ever, and insulting him all in all.

Of course this is not what Happosai thought would happen, he didn't expect Genma to be insulting him for everything, he thought his old apprentice would stop and see the faults he also had. If this continued like this Happosai's patience would run out, and this time it was the longest he had contained it since a long time ago.

Genma still hadn't finished saying everything he always wanted to say to his old master.

"Besides you are perverted, you scare little kids, you are a bad influence to anyone, you are as disgusting as a roach with two heads, you are evil, and you master look like a monkey who-, no you are a perverted stupid mokey that likes to steal and thinks of itself as a no-"

Genma was interrupted by a happo fire-burst, he was sent flying high and after a few time he came face down to the same spot he had stand.

"You really are stupid, you dumbass who do you think you are talking to! I'm your master and you should treat me with the ultimate respect!" Happosai said while grabbing Genma's neck with his diminute hand.

"I thought you would understand if I let you say some of my faults to me, I thought you would realize about your mistakes. But now I see you are more stupid than what I thought you were. Now apologize to me for telling me all that!" Happosai demanded to Genma, he was really angry at his apprentice.

"Argh, argh."

"Why don't you apologize? Do it now!" Happosai said making his grab tighter.

"Argh...agh."

Kasumi went outside to see what all the screaming was about, she wasn't surprised to see Happosai mad at Genma and attacking him but this time it seemed different, this time it seemed Genma made Happosai more furious with him than ever. Kasumi also noticed another thing that she had rarely if ever seen in Happosai's face, somehow his expression besides the one of anger he also had what seemed to be dissapointment.

"Master maybe he would apologize better if you loosened your grip on his neck." Kasumi said.

"Aagh...."

"Oh my, he is choking!"

Happosai did as Kasumi said but not only loosened his grip, he actually let go.

He didn't wanted to kill a fool like this, it just wasn't worthy.

Genma grasped for air, he was inaling and exhaling quickly and as much as he could.

After a few moments he recuperated a little, enough to talk.

"Ok now that you can apologize to me!" Happosai said not forgeting his apprentice owed him many apologies.

"Sorry master, sorry I will never talk to you like that ever again." Genma said as best as he could.

"You don't convince me." Happosai said.

"Oh please master, please I beg you for your pardon!" Genma said while in a begging and not at all manly position, his pride wasn't present at all at the moment.

Happosai didn't answered so Genma did the ultimate Saotome technique **Fierce Tiger Falling Down. **After some minutes Happosai finally had enough and even felt pity for Genma, he couldn't believe he had no honor at all, well he actually did believed it after all he knew Genma had done.

Kasumi had stayed outside with them to make sure Genma didn't got more injured, even when he deserved it. She was feeling bad after seeing what Genma was doing even when he deserved it, it was still mean Kasumi thought. She also felt bad for Ranma and sorry for him for having the father he had, she knew everyone should respect their parents, but some where really hard to respect, some just didn't seem to want respect if they can't even respect themselves.

After the apologizing was over they got inside. Kasumi was over with the cleaning and went to the living room to read a book, she still didn't felt sleepy so she might just kill time and relax until she wanted to go to sleep.

He said goodnight to Kasumi as nicely as he could and went directly to sleep not bothering to talk or even look at Genma.

Genma was still mad for what the old master had made him do, and the things he called him still insulted him. He went to the bathroom and turned the cold water that switched his transformation into a panda that way he would be warmer with the thick coat of fur. Then he went directly to the guest room where he then lied down and felt asleep very soon.

* * *

Shampoo looked at Ranma who at the time seemed to be very deep in thought, she thought he looked very handsome right now. She just couldn't stop looking at him, even when she tried to stop looking at him her eyes appeared to move for its own and looked at him even more intensely than before, but she just didn't want to because she knew he would get bothered for her looking at him that much.

Meanwhile Shampoo tried to win the fight against her eyes to not look at him so much, Ranma was thinking at what she said. Those thoughts somehow lead to another thought of him and his excuse of a father, then that thought took him to Akane and how now she must be looking for him. He finally remembered that no one knew where he was and that they would probably be worried for him.

"Damn they must be looking for me now!" Ranma said gaining Shampoo's attention.

"They must be worried, Akane maybe is tryinig to find me." Ranma said, mentioning the name Shampoo didn't wanted to hear from Ranma.

Shampoo looked at him.

"I no think so, is getting dark maybe they in house already." She said trying to make Ranma calm down and not think about any of the Tendo's at the time.

"Yes but I know Akane is really stubborn and maybe she is out searching for me." Ranma said. "Shampoo disn't you tell her where we were going?" He asked.

"How will I tell she when I no know where either."She answered.

"Oh, yeah huh." Ranma said remembering that Shampoo doesn't know where they are either. "Maybe I should go back and make sure they don't worry too much." He said.

"What? No, please Ranma don't try to leave." Shampoo said looking at Ranma sadly.

Ranma turned his face to look at Shampoo, and said.

"I have to, if not they will be worried about me. And Akane is probably out there searching for me, but she won't find me, besides is getting dark and something could happen to her."

Shampoo had a sadder face now, she heard that all Ranma was worried about is Akane.

She just couldn't handle well that her beloved was thinking about other women when they were alone together, and it happened all the times they were able to be alone. She knew Akane was important to him, but she wasn't prepared for him to show so much concern for her, and when she was opening up to him.

"Ranma please, couldn't you wait please. I want be alone at least some time together." She said with a pleading look in her eyes. "Later Ranma can go if he want but just this time, don't you enjoy surroundings? You no like being here?" She asked trying to convince Ranma to stay.

Ranma looked around and could not imagine someone not liking that kind of environment. Everything was just precious, perfect, nothing could really describe with perfection the natural beauty they were in. After a few moments he answered Shampoo's question.

"Of course I like it." He said trying still not to get too deep with his words, still refusing to be emotional. "I like being here too."

"So then you no like me...you no like Shampoo as company is that?" She asked sadly, at the beggining symptomes of crying.

"What? No, no of course is not you. I do like your company Shampoo, is just that, well I have to go back ya know." He said not wanting to hurt her feelings, besides he didn't lied he wasn't bothered at all by her company.

'As long as she doesn't try anything on me, I'm ok with your company.' He thought.

"Then if not me, what is it?" Shampoo asked. "You can go back tomorrow Ranma, maybe if you go back you no longer find this ever. Would you no like to see this again?" She asked to her fiancee.

"It's just that I don't want em' to be worried at me that's all." He answered. Then he thought about what Shampoo told him, what if he couldn't come back there? What if he didn't found the way, he sure would be more than glad to come again to this paradise.

After seeing how Ranma still didn't answered her other question, she continued trying to convince him to stay longer. She just didn't wanted to waste the opportunity of being with the person she loved most in a place that would be portrayed as a paradise.

"If you go back, I no follow for first time ever, I won't follow you." She started saying, at her speaking Ranma looked at her and listened. "I want stay here for some time. I want saty here until I feel I can go back to Nerima. So if Ranma leave I'll stay here, even alone I know I can still enjoy everything this place has to offer." She said looking away from Ranma and towards the majestic waterfall, trying to make it easier for her and not be too affected when Ranma said he would leave anyway.

Ranma looked at Shampoo he was surprised she hadn't got mad or didn't hit him when he didn't do what she wanted him to do, like when it happened with Akane.

'Afterall they were two very different people.' He thought

After a few seconds of silence and Ranma still not speaking, Shampoo spoke again.

"I would like Ranma enjoy this place too, I would love if enjoy it with me." She said hoping he would stay with her but knowing her chances of him agreeing were very few if she had any at all.

"I wish I could but...you know I have to-" Ranma couldn't speak further since Shampoo interrupted him.

"Ranma you no have to give explanation, just go if you want, no one making you stay here you are free to choose." She said still not looking at him. "And yes Shampoo finally understand you have to go and make everyone know you safe," She paused at this and said in a lower tone of voice "make Akane no worry about you more." She looked at him with a small sad smile in her face.

Without saying anything Ranma started to slowly walk away from Shampoo, following the way they took before she was totally out of sight Ranma took a last look at her noticing she was sitting on the soft emerald mantle looking at the sparkling saphires fall.

* * *

Seconds later he turned back to where he was heading and started walking again but even slower was his pace now.

'She told me I was free to choose, that's the first time someone tell me that.' Ranma thought while walking. 'Man she really wants me to stay, I saw the look in her eyes she was very sad. If I didn't knew her I would thought she might cry, what if she is crying right now?' Ranma asked himself. 'I would be the one that caused that, and damn I hate when girls cry and more when I am the one to make them cry.' She thought feeling bad for what he was doing.

'Maybe I should just go and leave a card to the Tendos or tell Akane I will stay here for some time. But If I did she wouldn't believe me...she would think I wanna be with one of my fiancees, which is kinda what I would do now but not for anythin' romantic or any of what she would think.' Ranma thought about a way to go and not make the Tendos worry and come back to the paradise he was currently in.

'But what if I don't find my way back here? And besides if Shampoo stays here, I can't leave her alone either, what if somethin' happens to her? Ok maybe this is a paradis-like place but what if there are more people here? What if there is somethin' harmful, well she can take care but what if it's somehtin' really powerful? She can even get injured.

Or what if someone else finds these place and tries somehting with her when she asleep or somethin'...damn I don't know what to do!'

Ranma was mad at himself for not being able to find a way to do things. He just couldn't figure it out. He stopped his walking and turned his head to look towards the way where he and Shampoo were earlier. Then he looked to where he was heading

then again towards the other way he was like that turning his head back and forth and after a few seconds he stopped his head to where the exit was. He turned again slowly to look at where the waterfall was and stared to that way for a few seconds.

He turned his whole body to where the waterfall and Shampoo were, he sighed and looked back towards the way he was taking before to exit, Ranma bent his head down and after a few seconds of thinking about it he raised his head and turned it to look ahead to the way he just came from. He started walking towards that direction with more confidence about his decision even when he still had some doubts.

After a few steps he felt a cool light breeze on his face and through his balck hair, this refreshed his head and even his thoughts making him feel more popsitive than before.

He stopped to look up at the sky, it was a deeper shade of blue than it was a while ago, it also had less clouds and the few it had were of distinct colors, from pink to orange to clear yellow to light purple, it was so beautiful. The sun had already dissapeared from the sky but some rays of light still could be seen, it appeared as if the rays of the sun were pure gold. Few stars where appearing too, they decorated the sky like if they were diamonds, some seemed to be changing color like diamonds do when hit with light.

"I have never seen a sky so beautiful." Ranma said still looking up. "How could I ever thought of leaving this place so fast, when I haven't seen much of it. When I haven't enjoyed it as much as I want." He said his face had a sincere smile without him noticing. After some moments he lowered his face to see the way he would take, then he started walking again enjoying everything around him.

* * *

Meanwhile Shampoo was still siting on the soft emerald grass, she was looking with sad eyes towards nowhere in special, all she was focused in was in her thoughts. She didn't felt as bad as she would if she was in the city, but still in this place she felt bad.

She couldn't see why Ranma is always thinking about Akane in a way or another, he worried too much for her and she has noticed he started to worry more about her after the incident in .

She was jealous at Akane even if she didn't admit it to anyone, she is starting to learn to admit it to herself. She wished she had the attention Ranma gave to Akane, even when it was in an argument or fight she always had his attention 90% of the time. Besides they were always together, it was not fair for her or any other of his fiancees, Akane clearly had an advantage by living with him; even when it seemed she didn't used that advantage to make him fall for her Shampoo knew she used that advantage in her own way, with no one noticing.

Still with that advantage they aren't officialy together, is he really that hard to get? Or is it that Akane doesn't want him that way? Or maybe they mess up everytime they can get closer, either of them does something the other dislikes and end up in a fight.

'Actually now that I think about it, Akane and Ranma fight more than usual, they argue constantly and their fights get more violent than before, well at least by Akane's side she hits him harder.' Shampoo thought.

'And Ranma..I've seen how he looks at her, with hurt adn anger at the same time. Not physical hurt when she hits him, but that hurt when someone injures the feelings I saw that look after he was sent flying by Akane, it hurt me a lot too I don't like seeing him suffer and much less when is emotional hurt. After I cured him and helped him feel better he thanked me but then Akane had to come, and in a few time he went with her barely noticing me after she entered.' Shampoo said remembering those hurtfull memories.

* * *

_I was outside the Cat Cafe just coming back from a delivery, when I hear a loud scream._

_I look up to see what it is and I could see it was Ranma before he could hit the concrete I catched him with both of my hands. _

_The direction he had come from wasn't from the Tendo residence but from Furinkan school, it was obious after all it was barely realease time of the students._

"_Ranma you ok?" I asked in my bad Japanese hoping he could listen to me and that Akane didn't made any severe damage to him._

_He moved a little after listening to my voice, he seemed to be struggling a little to open his eyes, after he finally opened them he looked at me and at the position he was in. Quickly he released from the hold of my arms and shook the dirt off his clothes then he looked at me and said._

"_Yeah Shampoo I'm ok, is just Akane she sent me here after me supposedly insulting her." He said. "I don't know why everytime she sends me flying she almost always sends me here, maybe she knows you'll cure me right?" He said with a small grin in his face._

_I couldn't help but giggle, I loved everytime he smiled at me._

"_Yes, maybe Akane know I good nurse but she don't tell me." I said jokingly guiding Ranma inside the Cat Cafe._

"_Yeah, she wouldn't admit it." Ranma said with the grin still in his face, he followed me inside and sat at the chair I got for him._

_I went to get the first aid box and as soon as I found it I went to where Ranma was. I bandaged him the best I could trying to do it tenderly trying to not hurt him more__._

_While I was focusing on curing him I stole a look to his face, I stopped bandaging when I saw his blue eyes that were looking away from me to the floor. They were filled with hurt, even if it was slightly noticeable I could see it and I was sure it was not of the physical injuries, he could deal with far more, but of the emotional hurt he had; I recognize that look since I always wear it when Ranma rejects me or goes away with Akane._

_After a few seconds of me stopping the bandaging he finally looked at me and asked._

"_What happens? Are you ok?"_

_I didn't notice him looking at me until he asked me that, I looked at him and said that nothing was wrong, I put on my best fake cheerful smile I had to reassure him I was ok._

_He didn't stopped looking at me, not that I disliked that, but after a few seconds I had to ask him__ in a flirty and playful way why did he stared at me so much. _

"_Are you sre you feel ok? I can feel you aura is kinda feeling worried and a little sad."_

_He said still looking at me._

_I could see he had concern in his face, he worried about me! I suddenly gained my hopes and answered him._

"_So Ranma why you worry too much?" I asked playfully. _

_He still was looking at me and his face changed to one of chyness._

"_Well, I juz wanted to know if ya were ok that's all." He said._

"_Really? Is that all?" I asked again playfully. "Don't you want to know anything else?" I asked flirtingly while closing one eye as cute as I could._

"_Y-yeah that's all." Ranma answered I think I saw a slight blush in his cheeks which made him look cuter._

_I didn't noticed but the both of us were really close, not more than an inch apart.__ I could feel his warm breath in my face, it seemed like time stood still and those few seconds appeared to be eternal. I looked deep into his eyes, closing slowly towards him._

_The best thing was that he wasn't getting away, maybe he wasn't aproaching as I was but he did started to close his eyes slowly._

_At that moment Akane entered the Cat Cafe, she was angry and she made it noticeable._

_She looked at Ranma then at me and said._

"_Come on you pervert, let's go Kasumi is waiting for us to go to the grocery store."_

_Akane would have been angrier than she was now if she had seen how close Ranma and I were to kiss, but Ranma felt Akane with his sixth sense and before she entered he back up from me. _

_I looked at Akane very angrily, she messed everything up! We were so close, if she just hadn't come here._

"_Akane why do you enter here? We better without you." I said._

"_I can enter here since its a public establishment, its a restaurant. So I can enter whenever I like when it's open." Akane said._

"_Yes is open but only to customers and people, not to monster cooker." I said._

"_What did you say?!"_

"_What you hear!"_

"_Hey Akane let's go. We gotte go for the groceries didn't you said so." Ranma said._

"_Yes but this Amazon I can't stand her!"_

"_Ok Akane you don't have to, so let's just leave." Ranma said._

_I looked at Ranma he was obiously trying to stop Akane from getting angrier and to forget about this, but knowing her she wouldn't._

"_Yes Akane leave restaurant now." I said pointing with a finger towards he door._

"_Whatever you crazy Amazon!"_

"_Akane this is not only her restaurant, it's her home too, so stop insulting her." Ranma said._

"_Oh yeah so now you take her side huh?" Akane said. "Fine then I'mt out of here!"_

_With that said Akane went towards the door and outside with her footsteps very hard._

"_No worry Ranma let her go, she stupid." I said then after I didn't received any answer from him, I looked at him and saw again that hurtfull look in his eyes, I don't know who it hurt the most him or me_

"_Yes she can be stupid sometimes." Ranma said not looking at me but out to where Akane left._

_He went out of the restaurant too and went running to her._

"_Akane wait!" That was the last thing I heard from him._

"_Ranma!" I shouted but he didn't hear, he already catched up to her and the first thing I saw Akane do was ignore him, or at least that's what it looked like.I saw them until they were out of sight, I felt really sad and dissapointed, I lost all my hopes of kissing him that day, all my hopes of being closer to him._

_After asome minutes of being outside looking at where Ranma and Akane were, I entered my home known as the Cat Cafe, there I sat down at a chair and placed my head on the table in front of me. I didn't wanted to cry but after all that time I finally stayed asleep without me noticing but not before I had at least two teardrops going through my cheeks. I was grateful neither Mousse or great-grandmother were there to see what just happened or see my tears, and after I woke up my gre__at-grandmother was there but thankfully my tears had already dried up, even if I still had the feeling of them._

* * *

After all of those memories passed through her mind like a movie, she sighed and started thinking again.

'I guess I should give up, even when my great-grandmother told me to never give up. Maybe she loves him in a way I can't understand...well I'm sure she loves him, she said it in the incident of the reversal-jewel. When I was the closest ever to get Ranma to tell me he loves me.' Shampoo thought and then saddened more. 'Even when it was all fake, even when it wasn't true I would enjoyed if he told me he loved me that time, though after a time I would realize that wouldn't make me happy when he didn't really meant it.'

'And his face when Akane said she loved Ranma. His face at first seemed confused but I could see that he was happy, that he enjoyed when she said that to him. Maybe I shouldn't get in the middle of them..' Shampoo thought, she also remembered what Cologne told her after the reversal-jewel and everything she had learned by being an Amazon also came to her head. After remembering everything she has been through, every obstacle she had overcome and everything she conquered in her life she felt better, she had a boost of confidence.

Then her saddened look changed to one of determination and competition. 'But it would be very hard for me to do that, to forget him. No! I know I can make him like me! I am an Amazon I don't give up! I know I can! I won't let go of him now! Maybe when he finally decides for who he will stay with, but not until then I won't give up, the fight is not over. Even if Akane has the lead by far much I will give her competence.' Shampoo thought now getting up from the grass.

'I will give my best, I will, not until I know for sure he does truly love Akane I'll stop.

If he says that and actually feels that way, I would have lost but I will not be a bad loser and I'll take my punishment at the Amazon village. But not until I lose, I will not give up on Ranma.'

Shampoo looked up at the ceiling, the sun disspaeared and the sky had almost no golden rays adorning it, the colored clouds were vanishing too, but what was left were the shiny diamonds that were multiplying in number. The moon too was now becoming visible, it looked like a enormous platinum spheric mirror, and it had a bright deep blue ring around it. The moon itself had shades of blue that made it look even more gorgeous, if it was a jewel it would be the fanciest and the most beautiful ever made that it wouldn't even appear to be made by humans, or for humans to wear, it would only be worthy of a goddess.

"Moon is too too beautiful. "Shampoo said still gazing at the spheric divine mirror.

"I never see moon this beautiful ever before. I never actually take time to look..." She said to herself.

Shampoo was too lost in the beauty of the moon that she faileed to notice the person that sneaked up behind her. Without making any sound he stood behind her looking at the moon too. Then he spoke almost as a whisper in a calm and tender voice.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

Shampoo was surprised by the voice she heard, and look at where the voice came from. She was more surprised to see Ranma there also looking up at the moon.

"Ranma? What you doing here?" She asked not sure how to feel. She had a lot of emotions going on in her mind she didn't know how to react.

Ranma walked from behind her and went to be beside her. Then he lowered his face and looked at Shampoo fully into her marron eyes, he smiled and said.

"I thought I would like to stay here a bit more. I mean afterall I don't always have the chance to enjoy myself in this kind of place right." Ranma said. "This is one of a lifetime oportunity not to be passed by." He said looking around at the surroundings but what caught more his attention was the sky.

Shampoo was speechless, she couldn't believe he came back, and that he would stay for more time. She was really happy, and at the same time was confused and worried, but she left those two last feelings go away and focused on the fact that her beloved would be with her.

"What aren't ya gonna tell me anythin'? I thought a lot about it before I came here." Ranma said not knowing why Shampoo didn't talked to him, didn't respond.

"Look I know you're angry and or sad but really I-" Ranma couldn't say furhter since Shampoo had hugged him and said.

"I not angry and not sad either now that you here."

Ranma didn't know how to react, afterall he expected to be hit or at least be yelled at, he even expected she wouldn't talk to him, but all his expectations were wrong.

Besides the hug she gave him all of a sudden wasn't at all what he expected. He expected more of a glomp in the case she wasn't angry, but this hug was different than any other glomp he had ever received, this was a tender but tight hug as if she did not wanted to feel unprotected, this was a warm hug he actually felt comfortable in.

He didn't returned the hug much, but he did placed lightly his hands on her back.

He wasn't sure why he did that but he didn't worried anymore at the time, he just liked the warm feeling he was having at the moment.

**I really put a lot of effort in this chapter, as you can see it's longer =)  
****It came out as I wanted so I hope you appreciated.**

Okay people that's all, I hope you enjoyed it!

**Thanks to all of your reviews! Really tahnk you! =)  
****Please review and tell me if you liked it.**

**Next chapter will probably be done in 1 ½ month. Be sure to check it out when it comes out. Also please check my homepage, it's in my author page here.**

**Oh I forgot something!**

* * *

After hugging for a long time both Ranma and Shampoo finally released. They were speechless for the time they had been hugging, and Ranma was the first to breake the silence.

"I think it's gettin' really late." Ranma said.

"Yes, maybe we go to sleep now. I really tired, I need some rest." Shampoo said looking up at the now darker night sky.

Ranma looked at Shampoo and then looked at the moon.

"Yes I think we should rest. I'm tired too, and besides I haven't ate." He said.

Shampoo couldn't help but giggle at the metnion of food and Ranma's growling stomach. She was actually surprised for the long time he lasted without mentioning how hungry he was.

"You break your own record Ranma, nine hours without eating and complaining about it until now." Shampoo said playfully, now looking at Ranma.

Ranma looked at Shampoo knowing she was making fun of him and his eating habits.

"Hey a martial artist got to feed well and eat four to six times a day."Ranma said. "If I don't eat what martial artists are supposed to eat I can't get my strength." He said now looking really serious.

"Oh really? Ranma need food like the sailor need spinach?" Shampoo said giggling at the end. "If Ranma no have food he become skinny and weakling boy, like Gosunkugi." Shampoo said teasingly.

"Hey!"Ranma said sounding ofended, though of course he was faking it. Except for the part of being compared to Gosunkugi, that just wasn't right, but he knew she was playing, so he continued with the game.

"Well not that weak, I mean at least I would be stronger than Kuno." Ranma said. "And besides if I don't eat my muscles may not grow more, they may lose strenght and hardness." Ranma said moving his arms like a boxer does, bragging about his muscles and positioning his arms so that his muscles could show off more.

Shampoo enjoyed that view a lot, he looked so sexy but she was finding it funny too.

She was giggling and laughing a lot.

"Yes maybe muscles become like pasta." Shampoo said teasingly and giggling while saying it.

"Hey that wasn't funny." Ranma said acting as if ofended.

After minutes of joking around they both found themselves more tired than before and really wanted to sleep, to rest after the long day they both had.

(yawn)"Damna now I really feel tired, I don't wanna eat anymore I juz wanna sleep." Ranma said while stretching his arms.

"Yes me too tired. We better sleep now." Shampoo said. "She laid down on the emerald grass and stretched her legs and arms. She looked really tired and ready to fall sleep.

Ranma looked at her and couldn't help but have a small warm smile in his face. Shampoo noticed him looking at her.

"Ranma?" She said.

"Yes."

"Would you want to sleep with me?" Shampoo asked quietly as if almost asleep.

Ranma looked nervous all of a sudden and said.

"What? How can you think about that? I'm tired an- and I-I can't I-" Ranma couldn't get the words right without sttutering the thought of that made him nervous to that point.

Shampoo looked at Ranma and giggled.

"I no meant that silly. I mean if you want to sleep beside me. I know you tired too." Shampoo said.

"OH well, but still...I don't know."Ranma said not sure what to do.

Few seconds later Shampoo fell asleep and Ranma was still deciding wehter to sleep beside her or not. Then he looked at Shampoo's slepping form adn all his thoughts and nervousness stopped. There was only one thought in his mind.

'She looks so beautiful.'

With that he cautiously lied down on the grass and quietly positioned himself to sleep, trying not to wake her up. He slept beside Shampoo but they were at leat twelve inches apart.

"Good nite Shampoo." He said with that he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

**Ok now that was the real final of this chapter.  
****Hope you liked it =)**

**Now please review and comment.  
****See you later with the next chapter! Bye!**


End file.
